Method and apparatus for reducing carbon monoxide in motor-exhaust gases



E. J. LACY METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR REDUCING-CARBON MONOXIDE IN MOTOREXHAUST GASES Filed may 1v, 192e;v

HIHHH July 3, 192s.

Witwe/ao Patented July 3, 192s.

UNITED STATES yPATENT OFFICE. y

EDWARD J'. LACY, 0F NEW YORK, N. Y.l

IIETHOD AND APPARATUS FOB RDUCING CARBON MONOXDE IN MOTOR-EXHAUST GASES.

Application med may 1'7, 1926. serial no. 109,713.

This appiication forms avcontinuation in part of my pendin U. S.applications, Serial Nos. 705,592 and 17,847, filed April 1U, 1924,andMarch 23, 1925, respectively, hoth alziandoned.

It is well known that the exhaust gases from internal combustion motors,contain such a quantity of carbon monoxide, as to be very injurious tohealth and often deadly, particularly when work must he done in a garageor the like in which the motor of a machinevis operating. It is alsoknown that if complete combustion of all fuel suppiied to the motorcould be obtained, the exhaust gases would not possess the poisonouscharacter which must otherwise exist. This has led to the production ofnumerous devices, special fuels, etc., for aiding comhustion in themotor cylinders,'.but the effects obtained have fallen farl belowexpectations, with the result that discharge of poisonous gases from allmotor vehicles still continues, to the detriment of all who must hreathethe gas-laden air.

I haveconducted numerous experiments, in attempting to at leastmaterially reduce the amount of carbon monoxide in the exhaust gases ofmy own machine, and although a number of these experiments have notshown the desired results, they have led to the provision of aremarkably efficient method which materially reduces the carbon monoxidecontents of the exhaust gases, and with further development, I believe,may `prohahiy he made to absolutely eliminate this poisonous factor.This new method also materially decreases my fuel consumption, with nosacrifice of power, speed, etc. In fact, the performance of the motor ishettered` in every way and appreciable deposit of carbon therein isprevented also.

I have experimented with the use of steam sione, taken from the radiatorand admitted into the fuel intake of the motor,` but aside from tendingto keep the motor free of carbon deposits, the results were notappreciahly better than when running on a mixl ture abundant with air.

I have in other tests taken a portion of the exhaust gases from theexhaust pipe and conducted them to the fuel intake of the I motor forreburning with the fuel {'/rom the carbureter. By this, I gainedsomewhat better combustion, a slight reduction in fuel.

until further thought and experimentation determined that to gain thebest results, (l) the exhaust gases must be'taken from the portion ofthe exhaust, pipe adjacent the muffler inlet where the pressure isgreatest; (2) these gases must be collected at different distinct pointsand the gases from sald vpoints must be thoroughly mixed into ahomogeneous gas, as the ordinary exhaust gases are of a streak of fatand streak of lean nature; (3) this homogeneous gas must be immediatelysped to the fuel intake of the motor without any retardation orappreciable'drop in temperature, by a short direct route; and (4) thesteam must be mixed with the hot rapidly moving gas,

immediately before entrance thereof into the fuel intake of the motor.Under these circumstances, mixture of the hot exhaust gas and steam withthe usual fuel from the carbureter, produces excellent combustion in themotor and decreases the carbon monoxide in the exhaust gases to agreater degree than heretofore possible. The motor is also keptsubstantially free of carbon and a tre mendous saving in fuel iseffected. This fuel saving and the reduction of carbon monoxide, is notdue solely to the excellent 'combustion attained, but is due lar ely tothe fact that Vanyunburned fuel umts dis charging with the exhaustgases, are to aV largevextent returned to the motor with fuel fromthecarbureter and given further chance to burn. Such fuel units crack orvaporize when the motor lires and are made to perform work, instead ofescaping. The use of my invention with substantially a newY Pierce car,shows a remarkable increase in mileage from seventy to eighty percent;and in one of my experiments, I have been able by the use of myinvention, to idle the motor of one machine with the oarbureterdisconnected, using exhaust gases from another machine mixed with steamas the only fuel.

The preferred apparatus for carrying the method into ef'l'ect, isdisclosed in the accompanying drawing.

Figure 1 is a side elevationshowing the apparatus installed for use.

Figure 2 is a longitudinal sectional view through a portion of theexhaust pipe and its muffler showing the preferred location of theexhaust gas collector and mixer.

Figure Bis an enlarged vertical sectional view through the gas collectorand mixer, and associated parts.

Figure 4 is a vertical transverse sectional view on line 4 4 of Fig. 3.

In the drawings above briefly described, M designates an automobilemotor having the usual fuel intake I, exhaust pipe E, muffler E.carbureter C and radiator R.

Disposed longitudinally in the exhaust pipe E, adjacent its point Aofcommunication with the muffler E, is a relatively small pipe 1 which isformed with a plurality of perforations l2, the end of the `pipeadjacent the muffler being preferably provided with a suitable cap orthe like 3 having an opening 4, while its opposite end is provided witha coupling 5. A sleeve 7 surrounds the pipe 1 in spaced relationtherewith and has its opposite ends closed, preferably by the cap 3 andthe couplingr 5, said sleeve being formed with longitudinal slits 8. Thepipe 1`, by means of the coupling 5 is connected to a pipe 9 which, inthe present showing, leads longitudinally through the exhaust pipe E `toa three-way coupling .10, which coupling communicates with the intake Ias indicated at 11. Also connected with the coupling 10, I have shown asteam pipe 12 leading from the upper end of the radiator R.

When the motor M is in operation, suction 1s of course created throughthe pipes 9 and 12, through the perforations 2 of the tube 1, andthrough the slits 8 of the sleeve 7.

g The result is that a portion ofl the exhaust gases from the exhaustpipe E are drawn rst into the sleeve 7 and then into the ipe 9, fromwhich they travel directly, rapldly, umnterruptedly, andwithoutappreciable drop l1n temperature, to the intake I, and as suction iscreated'in the pipe12, 'steam 1s drawn from the radiator and mixed Vwiththe exhaust gas immediately before the latter is introduced into saidintake, and by supplying the mixture of exhaust gas and steam to thefuel intake of the motor, said mixture of course intimately co-mingleswith the fuel from the carbureter C, and the excellent resultshereinbeforeset forth, are effected.

The pressure of the exhaust is greatest near the first baille plate vofthe m'ufller and it is at this location that I co1- two eaches, one ofsaid rea the steam source while ythe other reach exlect such gases.Moreover, the construction of the collector is such as to collect theexhaust gases at different distinct points and then thoroughly mix themto produce a single homogeneous gas which flows through the pipe 9 formixture with steam from the pipe 12. This taking of exhaust gases fromdifferent 'distinct points and thoroughly mixing them, is very importantfor the reason that the exhaust gases are not .of uniform constituency,but possess the characteristic commonly explained by the expressionstreak of lean and streak of fat. Thus, without collecting the gases atdifferent points and thoroughly mixing the gases collected at suchpoints, a uniform geneous mixture of exhaust gases, shall take' place,While such mixture is traveling from the apertured collecting and mixingdevice, to the intake manifold I. Hence, I prefer to locate the pipe 9so as to continually receive heat from the exhaust pipe until it reachesa point in extremely close proximity to the intake manifold. In the.present disclosure, the pipe 9 is shown within the exhaust pipe E, forthis conservation of heat. Moreover, the steam pipe 12 is so disposedthat it receives heat from the radiator R as long as possible and thentakes a short direct route to the coupling 10. posed portions of thispipe 12, the coupling 10, the pipe 9 and the connection 11, arepreferably well covered with asbestos or some other heat insulator, sothat no appreciable cooling either of the exhaust gases or the steam,can take place. Moreover, the steam is mixed with the exhaust gases soclose to the intake manifold, that before said steam exerts anyappreciable cooling effect whatever upon the exhaust gases, the mixturehas entered the intake manifold I for mixture with fuel from thecarbureter C.

As excellent results have been obtained from the details disclosed, theyare preferably followed. However, Within the scope of the invention asclaimed, modifications may of course be made.

I claim: 41. The combination with an internal combustion engine; ofpiping leading to the fuel inlet passage of the engine from the interiorof the exhaust gas passage of said engine, a portion of said pipingbeing disposed longitudinally in said exhaust passage and being formedwith longitudinally spaced perforations for the purpose set forth.

2. The combination with an internal com: bustion engine and a (sourceofsteam associated therewith; of iping leadin fuel inlet passage of e en'ne ang having es leading from to thev All exa slitted sleeve surrouning said perforated lv tends into and leads from the exhaust passage, aportion of the iping in said exhaust passage being disposelongitudinally there-` of and having longitudinallfy splacedperforations for the purpose set ort 3'. The combination with aninternal combustion motor having an exhaust pipe provided with a muier;of an exhaust gas collector in said exhaust pipeadjacent its point ofentrance into said muffler, means for conhaust gas collector and mixercomprising a 20 perforated pipe adapted to be placed in an exhaust pipeand adapted for connection at one end with the fuel intake of amotor,the other end of said pi e being closed, and

pipe in spaced relation therewith, both ends of said sleeve beingclosed.

v 5.- The combination with an internal combustion engine having anexhaust pipe; of

an apertured exhaust gas collector disposed in sald pipe and having itsapertures spaced apart longitudinally of the exhaust pipe, and

, piping leadingl directly from said collector to the intake manifold ofthe engine, said piping being disposed longitudinally of the exhaust ipeand in suiliciently close relation therewit to prevent appreciable dropin temperature during passa e of the collected, exhaust ases from thecol ector to the intake manifol 6. The combination with an internalcombustion engine having an exhaust pipe; of

an exhaust gas collector in said exhaust pipe,

and pipin leading directly from said collector to the intake manifoldrof the en 'ne, said piping being disposed within sai i-exhaust pipe fromsaidcollector to a point in extremely close proximity to the intakemanifold'to prevent any appreciable drop in temperature of the collectedexhaust gases while in transit from the collector to the intakemanifold.

7. A structure as specified in claim 6; together with steam supplypiping connected with the first named piping substantially at iftsdpoint of entrance into the intake mani- 8. The combination4 with aninternal com- -bustion englne having an exhaust pipe provided With amuffler; of an exhaust gas collector in said exhaust pipe adjacent itspoint' of connection with the muler, said collectol` being formed withexhaust gas inlets spaced apart longitudinally of the exhaust pipe toreceive exhaust gas from different distinct points of said' pipe, andpiping leading from said exhaust gas collector directly to the intakemanifold of the engine, said piping extending longitu- .dinally of theexhaust pipe and being in such close proximity thereto as to preventappreciable ldrop in temperature of the collected exhaust gases duringtransit to the 9. A structure as specified in claim 8; said piping beingdisposed within said exhaust the collected exhaust gases immediatelybe-l or entrance thereof into the intake maniol 11. The combination withan internal combustion engine having an exhaust pipe, of an aperturedexhaust gas collector disposed in said pipe, piping leading directlyfrom said collector to the intake manifold of the engine, said pipingbeing dis osed longitudinally oftheexhaust pipe an in sufficiently closerelation therewith to prevent appreciable drop in temperature duringpassage of the collected exhaust gases from the collector to the intakemanifold, and steam supply piping connected with the first-named pipmgsubstantially at its point of entrance to the intake manifold.

In testimony whereof I lhave hereunto aixed my signature.

v EDWARD J. LACY.

